Heart Disease and Black/African Americans

  • In 2024, Black or African American adults were diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) 26% more frequently than the total population.1
  • From 2017–2020, Black or African American adults with high blood pressure had their blood pressure under control 18% less frequently than the total population with high blood pressure.2
  • In 2022, non-Hispanic Black people died from heart disease 4% more frequently than the total population.3

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Diagnosis

Coronary heart disease among adults ages 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2024
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
4.15.00.82
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of coronary heart disease for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024.

Death rates

Death due to heart disease, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
Male317.0297.71.06
Female267.0264.51.01
Both Sexes291.0281.01.04
Source: CDC, 2025. Deaths: Final Data for 2022. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 4. Table 10.

Hypertension

Adults ages 18 and over who have high blood pressure (diagnosed hypertension), percentage, 2024
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
34.527.31.26
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of diagnosed hypertension for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024.
Adults with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, percentage, 2017–2020
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
13.216.10.82
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Healthy People 2030. Adults with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control by Race/Ethnicity, 2017-20.

High cholesterol

Adults ages 18 and over who have high cholesterol, percentage, 2024
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black / 
Total Population Ratio
21.023.70.89
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of high cholesterol for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024.
Adults who received a blood cholesterol measurement in the last five years, percentage, 2021
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
92.8Not ReportedNot Reported
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query.

Cigarette smoking

Adults ages 18 and over who are current cigarette smokers, percentage, 2022-2024
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black / 
Total Population Ratio
12.310.81.13
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults by Detailed Race and Ethnicity. Percentage of current cigarette smoking for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2022–2024.
Adults ages 18 and over who were current e-cigarette users, percentage, 2022-2024
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal PopulationNon-Hispanic Black / 
Total Population Ratio
5.16.50.79
Source: CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults by Detailed Race and Ethnicity. Percentage of current cigarette smoking for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2022–2024.
Adult smokers who received advice from a health professional to quit, percentage, 2020
Non-Hispanic BlackTotal Population White Non-Hispanic Black /
Total Population Ratio
51.3Not ReportedNot Reported
Source: AHRQ. National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query.

1 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of diagnosed hypertension for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. (Back to top)

2 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Healthy People 2030. Adults with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control by Race/Ethnicity, 2017-20. (Back to top)

3 CDC, 2025. Deaths: Final Data for 2022. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 4. Table 10. (Back to top)


Date Last Reviewed: September 2025